Israel to Head KP in 2010

As expected, Israel was elected to head the Kimberley Process in 2010. In the past year Israel served as Deputy, a role that traditionally is followed by chairmanship the following year. Boaz Hirsch, Deputy Director General for Foreign Trade at the ministry of industry, trade and labor will serve as Chair.

Israel is among the founding members of the Process and was deeply involved in its framing. The first KP certificate was issued in Israel on January 1, 2003.

According to Hirsch, the role is a large responsibility, as the Process affects the lives of millions of people that depend on the diamond industry for their livelihood and dozens of countries that the industry serves as a leverage for the their economic development.

Israel was selected during the KP Plenary Meeting in Namibia last week. The DRC has been elected deputy chair and will likely head KP in 2011.

"We hope that the Israeli Chairmanship in 2010 will provide the leadership and direction that has been so conspicuously absent throughout this year," said Alfred Brownell from Green Advocates, Liberia.

Brownell was referring to the decision not to suspend Zimbabwe from the KP, as well as many other issues that highlighted a feeling of stagnation among many KP observers.